The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for painting products in a production setting. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus for mixing primary paints, each having a separate base color to form a secondary paint, having a predetermined a color at a production painting facility.
Presently, production painting facilities, such as, for example a facility that paints automotive vehicle bodies, is limited to painting only a limited number of colors. A typical production paint facility includes a plurality of paint feed tanks each having a predetermined color of paint that is pumped to a paint applicator. Proximate to the paint applicator is a valving system actuated by a controller that determines which color of paint will be delivered to the paint applicator. The applicator is programmed with a purge cycle during which solvent and air is run through the paint applicator when changing the color to be applied to the vehicle body. Due the complexity of the valving system required to change paint colors during the production process only a limited number of colors has been made available as choices to the purchasing consumer. Therefore, the consumer has only a limited number of color options available to choose from when trying to individualize the vehicle being purchased.
The introduction of the internet to the vehicle selection and purchasing process has made available to the consumer the possibility of making individualized selections not typically available at an auto dealership. For example, many web sites now provide the consumer the ability to select a particular color and view the vehicle of their choice in that color. Further, some manufacturers are providing the ability to select this and other options such as interior fabrics and color and to purchase the vehicle on line.
It would be desirable to increase the number of colors available to the consumer so that the consumer can individualize the color of his or her vehicle. Further, it would be desirable to combine the ability to select both a hue and chroma that would produce a color that no other consumer could select unless that exact hue and chroma was also chosen. However, given the limitations of the currently available paint application apparatus, the ability to select these individualized colors is not feasible.
The present invention is an apparatus for painting a product, such as, for example, an automotive vehicle body, in a production painting facility with a virtually unlimited number of colors. The apparatus includes a plurality of feed tanks each holding a base paint with a different primary color. At least one paint feed pump is connected to each paint feed tank for pumping the base paint from the tank. Each feed pump pumps a corresponding base paint to a blending device. The blending device receives these base paints at a predetermined ratio and mixes the base paints to form a secondary paint having a predetermined color corresponding to the predetermined ratio. A production paint applicator receives the secondary paint from the blending device under pressure and applies the paint to the vehicle body.
The predetermined color is selected by the product purchaser by selecting a corresponding hue and chroma from a color wheel. A controller is programmed with the color formula corresponding to a particular hue and chroma. Upon selection of the hue and chroma, the controller activates the paint feed pumps to pump the combination of base paints corresponding to the formula for the selected hue and chroma to the controller. The apparatus of the present invention provides the ability to mix a limited number of base paints, each having a primary color to form a relatively infinite number of secondary colors corresponding to a given hue and chroma selected by a consumer. This provides a manufacturer with the ability to offer a product in virtually any color a consumer desires. Further, additional paints having either micas or metallic flake can also be blended with the primary paints to further differentiate a color corresponding to the hue and chroma selected.